ActionScript for Flash MX: The Definitive Guide, Second Edition

This is the Title of the Book, eMatter Edition

Copyright © 2007 O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.

Arithmetic Operators

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The operands can be any valid expression. The * symbol used for multiplication is in

lieu of the × (“times”) symbol used in traditional mathematics. If either operand is

not of the number type, and conversion to a number fails, the operation yields

NaN:

6 * 5 // Returns 30

Division

The division operator divides the first operand (the numerator) by the second oper-

and (the divisor) and returns the result (the quotient). Division takes the general

form:

operand1 / operand2

The operands must be valid numeric expressions. The / symbol used for division is

in lieu of the ÷ symbol used in traditional mathematics. If either operand is not of the

number type, and conversion to a number fails, the operation yields

NaN. If it is neces-

sary to express a fractional result, the quotient is a floating-point number, even if

both operands are integers:

20 / 5 // Returns 4

5 / 4 // Returns 1.25; In other languages, the result may be 1, not 1.25

Note that some other languages, such as Director’s Lingo language, return an inte-

ger unless at least one operand is a float.

If the divisor (denominator) is zero:

• The result is

NaN if the numerator is zero or nonnumeric

• The result is

Infinity if the numerator is a positive number

• The result is

–Infinity if the numerator is a negative number ...